


The Gift

by Fenchurch87



Series: Tales of Kirkwall (and Beyond) [17]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 05:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15478752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenchurch87/pseuds/Fenchurch87
Summary: Marian Hawke comes home with a surprise for Anders. Originally written in response to a writing prompt on /r/dragonage.





	The Gift

Marian Hawke was in an excellent mood as she left the village and walked briskly up the hill towards the house. In recent weeks she had started trying to find one small thing, anything, to brighten the days and make them a little easier. Today she had found that small thing as soon as she woke up and saw Anders sleeping peacefully beside her. A week or so ago she had wondered if she would ever see Anders like that again.

It had been almost a month since they'd left Kirkwall. Varric had found the house, on the outskirts of a small village North of the city. The people here were more favourably inclined towards mages than most. Apparently a few mages from the Circle had saved almost the entire village during a plague some years before. Varric had also assured Hawke that the villagers “wouldn't ask questions”. She wondered if he had paid them off. Probably – that was Varric's solution to most problems.

She looked down into the box she carried and smiled to herself. _Perfect_ , she thought. _Anders is going to love you._ She had wanted to do this for years, but she had never had the chance in Kirkwall. Too many problems to solve, too many bandits to fight, too many mages to save. But now they were out of the city and trying to live a quiet life – there was no better time. A few days ago she had happened to overhear a conversation in the village store and made an impulsive decision – one she knew she would never regret.

Anders was awake and eating breakfast when she entered the house. His face lit up when he saw her, which sent a little jolt of pleasure through her heart. She would never tire of that. He got up from the table and came to meet her, licking crumbs from his fingers.

“Your note was rather puzzling,” he remarked as he approached. “Gone to the village on urgent business... What could be so important that you couldn't wait for me to wake up, I wonder?”

There was a twinkle in his eye as he spoke, and Hawke felt another burst of joy. He was teasing her! Things really were getting better. “This,” she replied, gesturing towards the box. “It's a present. For you.”

“Hmm I do like presents. What is it?”

“Take a look.” And she handed him the box.

 “Oh!” Hawke would never forget the delight in Anders's face as he lifted the kitten out of the box. “He's so cute, he's adorable, he's... perfect! And he looks just like Ser Pounce-a-lot! How did you know?”

Hawke chuckled. “I've spent so much time listening to you drone on about Ser Pounce-a-lot, I reckon I could paint a perfect likeness of him by now.”

Anders laughed too. “You probably could,” he agreed, still grinning like a child. “Is he really mine? Are we really keeping him?”

“Of course.” Anders's excitement was infectious, and Hawke couldn't keep the smile from her face as she watched him try to persuade his new pet to chase a piece of string around the room. The kitten was having none of it. He sat on the floor, yawned widely and then tried to nuzzle Anders's hand, purring contentedly all the while. “Have you thought of a name yet?” she asked.

“I thought about calling him Ser Pounce-a-lot the Second, but he's a little too lazy for that. Aren't you?” The kitten had rolled on to his back, still purring, and Anders was now rubbing his belly. “I know! I think I'll call him Ser Purr-a-lot! It's perfect – don't you think so, Ser Purr-a-lot?” The kitten meowed softly and started licking Anders's fingers.

“I think that's a yes.” Hawke suddenly felt a lump in her throat. _There's the man I fell in love with_ , she thought. The man who turned to mush every time he saw a cute animal. The man who fought for the downtrodden and the defenceless. The man who had a collection of dirty jokes to rival even Isabela. During the last few weeks she had caught only brief glimpses of him through the guilt and despair.

Anders looked up from Ser Purr-a-lot and met her eyes. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. You're smiling but you also look like you might start crying any second now. It's a little bit disconcerting.”

“It's just good to see you happy,” she said quietly.

Anders stood up and walked over to her, slipping his arms around her waist. “I know I've been hell to live with these last few weeks,” he said softly, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “I've given you every reason to leave. That you're still here, after what I've put you through, it means everything.”

Hawke reached up to touch his cheek. “I would never leave,” she replied. “You know that. I love you, Anders.”

“I love you too. More than any words can say.”

He kissed her then, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, relishing the feel of his lips on hers. She knew this wouldn't last forever. Maybe Anders's nightmares would come back tonight, maybe Justice would flare up again, maybe somebody in the village would figure out who they were and they would have to leave. But she would worry about that when it happened. For now, Hawke was content to lose herself in Anders's kisses and enjoy the good times while they lasted.

 


End file.
